Family Surrogate
by Creator of Hybrids
Summary: An unlikely pair spend five years of their life raising a blind human child after an unfortunate series of events. Despite their differences, Tensin and Ni kyt work together to ensure James lives a good life. But fate has other plans for the odd family, one that changes their lives forever.
1. Three Fates Tied

**Three Fates Tied**

The sounds of gunfire and energy bolts echoed the forest for miles. Nearby campers fled, thinking of the worst. Surrounding wildlife dashed through thickets and brambles in efforts to continue their survival. In the mountain areas of California, such noises were very rare to hear, if not unheard of. There would no doubt be an investigation after the battle. If the evidence was not destroyed by the Yaut`ja first.

Weyland-Yutani operatives hid behind the cover of rock and tree as the Yaut`ja hunting party continued their onslaught. Their employers had ordered the team of mercenaries to track down the hunters—the Yaut`ja had been tracked down to this area for their hunting—with the task to capture at least one of them for future, in depth study. Yet, despite their equipment, the Yaut`ja were greatly underestimated and the tables turned for the operatives. A small audible step on a branch from one of the men immediately alerted the Yaut`ja of their presence. Seconds later, the conflict had begun.

The commanding operative of their team shouted orders left and right as he would periodically poke out of cover and shoot blindly at his cloaked quarry. He used to have a headset that would allow him to see past their cloaking but it was damaged in the initial firefight. Now he was merely delivering cover fire while the operatives with functional headsets continued their onslaught upon any visible targets. Every now and then, a man would be struck by the blue bolts of energy or executed with a melee weapon. And in turn, the humans would injure one of them. Of the seven recorded Yaut`ja present, they only managed to kill one and injury two. Meanwhile, nine of their twenty men have already died at the hands of the hunters. The mercenary in charge had no way of truly knowing how many were injured, aside from himself.

And he didn't bother to think to include the large camping party that had been unfortunately drawn into the initial crossfire.

As the battle continued, a red and black figure dashed right in the middle of the crossfire, surprising both sides and causing a ceasefire. Before anyone could even get a proper read of _what_ it was, the figure took off again, bounding into the woods and past the foliage. The crossfire resumed shortly after, members from both sides firing upon the enemies before them. All but one. The largest of the hunters withdrew quietly from the fight and took off in the same direction as the red figure. It had caught the hunter's attention from the boring standoff between man and hunter. She wanted something new, something exciting. Not boring conflict such as this with the humans. After all, she came here to hunt, not to engage in a petty fight.

As the red and black figure dashed through the forest, edging further and further away from the conflict it had temporarily ceased, the female Yaut`ja continued to pursuit. The red figure took a brief pause of breath, looking around to decide on where to run next. It was at that moment that a spear had lodged itself into the tree close by. The red figure jumped back and half-faced the arriving female hunter, hissing lowly under its breath. As it was no longer in motion, the female Yaut`ja was able to get a better look at her quarry. She didn't like what she saw.

Serpent Chimeras were a rare thing to see amongst the members of her clan, as they were a rare breed to even encounter on hunts. But they were not unknown. The one before her was colored primarily red with edges of black along the fore part of its limbs, tail, and the four protrusions from its cheeks and forehead, making it seem like a hot rod fire design to his body. There were salmon pink striation segments on its arms, legs, and back of head with similar colored scale like plates on its shoulders and neck. One eye had black sclera with a yellow bead for a pupil while the other eye had white sclera, a black iris, and a yellow pupil. On its face was a mix of fear, determination and defiance. It was holding something...

The female Yaut`ja in question was a fern-brown color, with subtle distinct stripes to her body. The mask she wore was a generic one but her attire differed greatly from other male hunters, with angular armor that gave her a villainous look. Dark green dreads draped over her back, held back loosely by a thick cord of leather. She was a powerful female, by the way she held herself. And her current posture revealed barely a fraction of the anger she felt at the presence of this creature. This… _abomination_.

The red Chimera gave a loud, warning hiss before taking off again, running off to the left. The female wasted no time in pursuing it, grabbing her spear as she ran. By the way the Chimera ran through the forest, weaving through the foliage and ducking behind trees, it was apparent that he was experienced with this terrain. That satisfied and angered the female. This would be a good hunt indeed, with his familiarity; it angered her that this creature has been here this long. But chasing was not her style. She preferred more of a direct fight.

The red and black Chimera gave a cry as something pierced through his right calf, causing him to fall. At the last second, he whipped himself around to land on his back, saving his cargo from the brunt of the fall. Embedded in the back of his leg was a small knife. The female Yaut`ja gave a low purr as she grew close, extending her dual wrist blades. Anticipation filled her blood, along with the taste of adrenaline. She knew the fight would be a good one. The serpents were always so unpredictable and dangerous. If this Chimera was half as good as them, this would be a good fight indeed. But as she grew closer, the female found herself pausing. While the Chimera looked up at her in defiance, the small human boy in it's arms was beginning to sniffle and whine.

The first thought that ran through her mind was that this creature had kidnapped the child, likely for food. But the longer she stared at them, the more she realized how wrong she was. Small burns ran along the child's body, his clothes tattered and dirtied. He was gripping onto the Chimera for dear life and looked around frantically for their attackers, as his eyes no longer held any function. His injuries did not come from the Chimera.

They came from the battle between her people and the human operatives.

At seeing her hesitance, the Chimera scrambled backwards and jumped to it's feet, protectively holding the child, shielding him away from her. The female warrior snarled, entering an attacking position. But no attack came from the Chimera. At least, not a physical one. As it stared at her with anger, it spoke with deep, accented voice.

"His injuries are from _your_ conflict," It snarled. "He can no longer see because he was too close to one of your blasts. The light blinded him and killed one of his people. A woman." To make things worse for the now guilty female, the Chimera added, "If you kill me now, you will kill him as well. And prove you are nothing more than a ruthless, cutthroat monster."

At this, the female bellowed, taking a large step forward. Immediately as this happened, the child gave a shriek and clung tighter to the Chimera. The female paused. Something came over her then. While she felt rage at the Chimera insulting her, there was also sympathy and regret towards the child it carried. Something about it made her feel... She wasn't sure what it was.

"Just do it. End our lives, since that is all you know how to do."

The Chimera didn't know how deep his words cut her. The female was sterile and without being to produce offspring, she turned to the ways of the hunt. It always hurt her to see other females with their children and loving mates, their happiness with a family. To know that males would never look at her the same for she proved no use to the survival of their race. She could never have a family to call her own. Maybe that is why she felt sympathetic towards the child. To adopt him as he had no family of his own anymore.

The female Yaut`ja took a step forward but the Chimera stepped back. She gave low rumble at this and sheathed her blades. Why would a _serpent_ Chimera want to protect a child? It was a food source for them. And she doubted there was a queen but something about the way it held to the child struck the female as odd. She stepped back and stood up straight, coming to her full height. The red Chimera's eyes went wide and he tilted his head to the side in confusion. The female Yaut`ja took another step back and bowed her head, causing the Chimera to drop it's guard. Just as she mentally steeled herself to attack at any moment, it's words shook her.

"Thank you."

The female felt herself go still. All she could do was watch as the red and black Chimera set the child down and look over his wounds. It was interesting to watch the Chimera baffle her and act so unlike the serpent she painted it for. The red Chimera lifted the child's arm to further inspect a small gash. After making a disapproving noise, he ripped off a part of the boy's shirt and wrapped it around the gash, shielding it from the open air.

"I realize this is asking a lot," The Chimera began. "But I cannot do anything more without proper medicine. I need to return to my den to help his wounds and, if you're still set on killing me, you can do that tomorrow at noon. But right now, this child needs someone."

It's tone... It sounded like it genuinely cared.


	2. Family Life

**Family Life**

James listened with amusement at the methodical groan of Tensin as he climbed up the tall oak with great effort. Tensin regularly dug his claws into the shedding bark, the tips of his finger beginning to grow raw as a result. But he ignored that. He would prove to that damned bitch he could climb a tree, even without the ability to properly traverse multiple surfaces. And as he climbed, Ni`kyt approached, walking directly towards James.

"Hi, Nee," James greeted, waving a hand before returning to his crafts. Tensin didn't seem to have taken no notice of the female's arrival. "Tensin been at it for hours now."

Ni`kyt gave an inquisitive trill.

"He said something about proving a point." At that moment, there was a scuffle, a curse, and a fall, accompanied with a scream. Tensin land on his back, groaning in pain. "That the fifth fall."

"I said not to count!" Tensin bellowed with an obvious groan.

Ni`kyt crossed her arms and began to make a sound reminiscent of a laugh. To think that after the two hours she had been gone to hunt down tonight's meal, _this_ all happened. Tensin quickly sat up and hissed at the female, his tail slamming against the ground before he fumbled to his feet, muttering curses under his breath. James' face broke into a wide grin as he listened to Tensin once again begin scrambling up the bark, digging his claws into the bark and repeating the cycle. Ni`kyt gave an amused trill.

"Don't antagonize me, woman! This is your fault anywaaaaAAAY!"

Tensin fell once more, this time falling on his neck before the rest of his body met the ground. If not for the short fall, there may have been more permanent damage to his neck; it would be sore the next few days. Tensin groaned but otherwise did not move, finally giving up. Ni`kyt clicked her mandibles before picking up James, placing the boy on her shoulders. She then approached Tensin and grabbed his tail, pulling him behind her as she began to walk. The red and black Chimera groaned but otherwise kept quiet.

On the way back to the cabin, James talked about all the new animal he heard while Ni`kyt caught them lunch. She listened closely to how James theorized what kind of animal it was, as well as it's size and basic shape. Him and Ni`kyt had gone out into the wild and hunted enough times for the young boy to pick up on tricks and trades, including the noises of animals and their appearances. It pleased the female that James had caught on quickly to her teachings and was sharing his exploits to her. It made her feel proud of her child.

Tensin continued to whine and grumble as he was dragged across the forest floor. It didn't hurt too much, as his body was already in pain from falling off of a tree several times. He was already anticipating the soreness for tomorrow. Tensin doubted he'd even get out of bed tomorrow. Then again, who'd make James breakfast? Ni`kyt ate raw meat and tended to burn it a little when attempting to cook. Tensin liked to cook his food and that was James' saving grace. Curse his sense of responsibility over his own selfishness.

"Can I walk now?" Tensin moaned. Ni`kyt answered with low clicking. It meant no. "This is humiliating." A scoff. "Oh hush. I'm sure you've done some stupid stuff in your life as well."

"Nuh-uh! Nee kicks butt and takes names. She doesn't make mistakes at all."

Ni`kyt then gave a low rumble, almost chiding in a gentle way.

"We all make mistakes, even Ni`kyt," Tensin clarified.

Clicks of agreement.

"Like what?" James asked innocently.

"I'll tell you after lunch," Tensin said as he shook free and popped onto his feet. "Ni`kyt has to write it down for me first before I can tell you."

"How come you can't tell it yourself?"

"Because she mostly talks in movements and visuals, which proves a problem when communicating to you. Speaking English is another matter entirely. It hurts their vocal cords unless they practice a lot." Just as James opened his mouth to speak, Tensin added, "Don't start begging, James. Give her time and be good. Then maybe she'll bless us with a beautiful voice that only frogs can appreciate."

At this, Ni`kyt ever so subtly grabs Tensin's head from behind and slammed him into the nearby tree they were passing. The Chimera gave a loud whine before collapsing on to his back, cursing life and his big mouth.

-.-

Back at the cabin, things had settled down more. James and Ni`kyt were sitting quietly with each other in the living room as James showed the Yaut`ja woman all the new crafts he created during her time gone. As he went through them, Ni`kyt went back and forth between looking at each of them and struggling to write that story James wanted to hear. Tensin was in the kitchen, carrying a large stew pot half his size off the burners, his hands grasping the bottom of it. He was more resistant to heat so the scorching metal was no bother for him.

It's been five years since the three of them became what could be best described as a disorderly, completely against nature, surrogate family. Tensin was very lucky that Ni`kyt felt pity for James when he not only pleaded for their lives but also insulted her a bit. She had Tensin get as far away from the conflict as possible but placed a tracer on him for later purposes. Ni`kyt returned towards the end of the conflict, flanking the humans from behind. Only one survived as he fled early on, much to the entire group's annoyance. The female Yaut`ja waited a time before tracking Tensin down once more, claiming that she saw a bear she wanted to hunt when her party grew curious.

As it turns out, it was indeed her people's technology that had blinded James. Just as Tensin had said, James had gotten too close to one of the explosive blast during the first shots. The bright plasma light at close range and high power damaged the cornea inside, making his blindness incurable for a time. If they had gotten to the injury quicker, there may have been a saving chance. James and his family should not have gotten involved. Ni`kyt blamed herself for his disability as she was the one who fired the shot. But she never told anyone. She didn't want James to reject her and Tensin was bound to slip up if he knew.

Regardless, the Chimera had his use, even though everything in her body told her to kill him. Ni`kyt could not simply stay on the planet forever to raise the child, nor could she bring him with her. Keeping Tensin alive was a difficult but necessary choice. After determining for certain the Chimera wouldn't try anything drastic or fatal, Ni`kyt reluctantly let James into his charge. The female was surprised to find during her next visit that the two were as close as brothers, and that the Chimera was a rather talented cook. She honestly assumed he ate raw meat and other unsanitary things, like serpents would normally do.

As for Tensin's origins, whenever Ni`kyt asked, the only thing he would tell is that a ship landed on earth and booted him off. He was rather quiet about his history beyond when they first met, contrary to Tensin's usually talkative nature. Regardless, he had done a fine job in providing a home for James and filling in the role of big brother. The female Yaut'ja could credit him for that much. Even if he was just as bad as an Unblooded-

"Hey Nee?" James' voice cut through her thoughts. She gave a trill. "Why are you gone all the time? We only ever see you three times a year. And those visits are only four days long."

"Technically, _I_ see her," Tensin shouted from the kitchen. "You just hear her- OW!"

Ni`kyt had thrown one of James' shoes at the red and black Chimera the moment he popped his head out from the kichen. He really needed to learn to keep his mouth shut at times.

"You guys really don't like each other, do you?"

The female Yaut`ja gave a soft purr at the way the human boy said that. She ran her claws through his lengthy brown hair and gave a low trill. It was true, the relationship between her and Tensin was a bitter one, but they both cared for the boy. Tensin because James was the one person to truly care for an abomination; Ni`kyt because the human boy was the son she'd never have. For his sake, they would do their best to remain civilized. But between Tensin's snide remarks and Ni`kyt's destructive temper, it was a difficult balance to maintain.

Tensin strolled out the kitchen and proceeded to pick James up, resting his large forehead against James' smaller one. It was something the Chimera would do as a sign of compassion and comfort.

"Yes, me and Ni`kyt don't get along," He answered. "And yes, she is only here for so long. But there are reasons for everything. Reasons that you will one day hear and understand. But that day is not now. You just reached your twelfth year and you still have one more before we even explain the birds and bees. Maybe then we'll tell you about other things."

"What's the birds and bees?"

"Nee can explain that one!" Tensin placed James down and dashed back to the kitchen. "Just not in English or any motions."

At this, Ni`kyt smirked. She then started to speak in her own language, which sounded like nothing more than clicks, growls, and other strange noises. James' face furrowed into a pout in a comedic fashion, much to Ni`kyt's amusement. She stopped and laughed the moment James began to complain about the fairness of the situation.

Just another typical night for the chaotic family.

-.-

Ni`kyt quietly closed the door to James' room as best as she could, fondly looking over the slumbering child as she did. Her expression was a sad one, eyes glistening as a result of the news she carried. News in which she'd have to share with Tensin in order to figure something out.

Despite it's new structure and build, the cabin floors still creaked in certain places, no matter what size or weight you were. Ni`kyt crept quietly away from the closed bedroom and into the living room, where Tensin resided. He had a fire going and was sitting extremely close to it. He did that often when he was deep in thought. She didn't understand why he'd have a fire going in the middle of summer, when it was already blazing hot. Then again, the woods and higher elevation did cut back on some of the degrees here. And given her knowledge of the non-serpent race in the Chimera's blood, it made sense. There was a bowl shaped cup in his hands with tea inside while he read over the story she had written for him to tell. James heard it already but Tensin was reading over it again, deciphering more of its words.

Ni`kyt didn't even have to announce her presence when Tensin motioned to the pile of animal skins not too far from the fireplace itself; her seat. The female Yaut`ja took a mere two strides before letting herself become comfortable in the skins, staring at the fire as well for a time. It must've been a good seven minutes before Ni`kyt spoke. And as usual, Tensin listened intently.

While Ni`kyt had to rely on noises and sounds for James, with Tensin she produced a mixture of both sounds and gestures. Though the sounds we made were quieter and subtle, given how her motions spoke the most volumes.

 _Bad news_ , She signed to him.

"Bad as in we have to move or bad as in my head on someone's wall?" Tensin retorted.

 _Clan getting suspicious. Also criminal on planet._

"Oh it's a combination of both. That's great!" The Chimera said with very false enthusiasm. He then proceeded to sip his tea. "Any ideas on how to procedure with this dangerous task, madam?"

... _hoping you had idea._

"Nee, no offense but you literally never let me give out ideas or anything when you're on planet. Plus I'd rather not get drawn into a fight with one of your people. I'm still under my oath of passiveness."

 _What about James? Danger for him!_

"I've been digging a tunnel that connects to a warehouse I've had long before I met either of you. In a few days, I'll be done with the digging. If anything does happen, we can go hide out there for a time being. But I can't leave the woods."

 _Why not?_

"I made a promise to someone to stay here…" Tensin said in a low voice, staring directly into Ni`kyt's eyes. "And it wasn't you or James."

For once, the female had nothing to say and simply turned her gaze to the fire. For Tensin to bring up something small from his past warranted respect and none of the retorts she'd have shouted at him. She clicked her mandibles and closed her eyes.

"You're staying for three more days, right?" She rumbled in answer to Tensin's question. "We should have a small feast. In celebration to the five years we haven't killed each other." She gave a small growl. "I'm kidding. It'll be an anniversary feast. You hunt for the main course, I'll forage for some other foods and cook it all. You can have James all to yourself during that time. Sound good?"

 _What about danger?_

"Do it for James. Please." The Chimera turned to face her completely, setting his tea to the side. "Look, the last thing either of us want for James is to lose another family. If we start panicking now, we might trigger some post-traumatic stress and awaken some of the memories he himself has blocked from his mind. But, if we have a feast and then begin to pack for a small retreat from the cabin, away from possible danger and where we won't be tracked, it'll be easier for his young mind. Make it seem like a vacation elsewhere!"

He gave a pause before continuing, "He is still a child. And while I may not be as old as you or a parental figure for him, I know what's best for him. Causing panic will cause more harm than good. He may be raised by aliens but James' still human. They can't handle certain things. Especially the children."

NI`kyt gave a snort of agreement to that. As crafty and quick thinking as they were, humans would still cower and flee when their life was in mortal danger. Just as the one human from long ago had, when the rest of his men was dead.

 _After feast, we prepare to move for a time?_

"Yup."

 _And when I leave, then what?_

"Me and James will still keep a low profile and you help with taking down the criminal. Shouldn't be too hard."

 ** _I'm_** _held under suspicion, you idiotic newt. Risk for me_.

"What's life without a few risks? You've already taken many with me and James."

 _Different from this. They could kill me without hesitation_.

"But you hesitated with me. And you didn't know me. This is your clan, Ni`kyt. That must count for something."

Ni`kyt hated it when the Chimera was right about something. Such wisdom for what usually is a savage creature. Then again, the other race he originated from were rather intelligent. It must've passed on for the most part.

 _Hunt elk for feast?_ It was time for a change of topic.

"Oooh don't make me salivate," Tensin grinned. "That'll go good with some of the herbs and vegetables we've been growing in the garden."

 _Then it is decided. I shall hunt tomorrow. I rest now_.

"Good sleep then. See you on the morrow, fair warrior," Tensin said with a low, gratuitous bow.

Tensin took his cup and headed towards the kitchen, leaving the female warrior alone by the fire. She listened to Tensin leave the kitchen and make his way to the attic, where he slept for the most part. Even though he had a room right next to James' He rarely slept in it unless he knew James had nightmares or would have trouble sleeping. That way, the boy had someone to be with during his time of distress. But something about being high up from others in a small secluded place appealed to the red and black Chimera in some strange way.

Ni`kyt had her own room, relatively close to James as well, but like Tensin's, it was often unoccupied for the most part. While she did customize it to fit her own needs, it was relatively bare. Especially in comparison to her own home back on her people's planet. Sure, there were a few skulls here and there from some of the small hunts she partook on with James in her company, but they were nothing compared to what she had home.

 _No_ , She chided herself. _This is my home as well. With James… and Tensin_.

The female got to her feet and headed towards her room, being quiet as she passed by James'. As she entered her room, she discarded herself of her clothing before crawling into bed, immediately falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.


	3. Break of Cycle

**A/n: heads up, I've made some edits to prior chapters. Some slight grammar but there's a few small additions as well. Small ones.**

* * *

 **Break of Cycle**

Tensin cartwheeled terribly over to where he was compiling wood together for their bonfire. He returned to arranging the wood together after doing a brief check up on James, who was in the garden collecting vegetables and herbs for their feast. Ni`kyt left at the crack of dawn for her hunt, leaving the two boys alone to their own devices. The air felt a little less hostile now.

James was ecstatic when Tensin announced their little celebration feast. He wanted to help as much as he could and the red Chimera wasn't about to deny the boy such a role. Though given how limited James was at times with his blindness, it took some thinking for Tensin to decide what he could do. He had the young human pick herbs and vegetables from the garden, trusting for him to decide what could be incorporated into their meal. After that, the Chimera would have to start thinking again on what the boy could help with.

Tensin was glad Ni`kyt agreed to this, despite her hesitations. He was also hopefully that she would not be accused of anything wrong by her clan. They may not get along and she'd call him a newt all the time, but the female warrior was the not the kind to commit heinous acts. In truth, if not for her, Tensin would've had a very difficult time raising James on his own. He was thankful for her. Of course, he'd never say that out loud. No way he was going to start feeding that giant woman's ego; the thing had to be as big as a planet at this rate.

"I'm going to find some more wood," Tensin announced loudly. "Stay near the cabin."

Once he got James' affirmation, the red Chimera took off into the woods, running on all fours as he did. Tensin tried not to venture too far from the cabin while James was outside in the garden. The human boy tended to wander sometimes and one upon a time, he ended up coming across a mountain lion. The Chimera made James promise to _never_ tell Ni`kyt about that experience after he rescued him from that mayhem.

Tensin kept low to the ground, crawling on all fours as he searched around, eyes keen on finding some damn firewood. He had to go a little further than usual in order to find more firewood. He couldn't find any of a decent enough size, having combed through these areas much too often. The red Chimera had done his best to stay close but that had backfired a bit on him. By the time he had found some good firewood, Tensin was in foreign territory.

A slight breeze blew by as the red skinned Chimera picked up the firewood and stored it into a backpack like contraption he made for himself. Tensin hummed to himself as he worked, belonging to a song he heard James listening to the other day. It was a catchy one, though he found the lyrics to the song to be rather childish and the result of an immature mind. He had a full stack of wood within half an hour. A little longer than he'd like but the it was worth it. They'd have plenty of wood now for the bonfire.

Twigs snapped nearby and Tensin froze in his place. His muscles locked up and he kept his senses alert. Most of the time, it would be a wild animal. But this sound different. The more he listened, the easier it was to tell that the owner of those footsteps belonged to something bipedal. Then he could hear the voices. Humans.

Tensin slowly backed up and went behind a tree, away from the voices. Humans up this far had never happened before. This was concerning. If they wandered any closer, they'd find the cabin, and then James! Tensin could not think of the chaos that'd result from that encounter. Several of them revolved around the reactions of an angered Yaut`ja woman. Even their honor code couldn't stop their females from losing their maternal driven temper. Thinking about what could happen made Tensin shiver.

Tensin slowly took off the wood pack and crept forward, expertly avoiding stepping on anything that may alert his presence. Fortunately, the humans were traveling in the opposite direction of the cabin, their voices fading away. Tensin let out a sigh of relief before he hurried home. That had to be one of the closest calls he's had with humans since taking James under his care. As much as he knew James longed to be back with humans, there was too much at stake, including the risk of Tensin and Ni`kyt being discovered. There was also the very possible risk of James being taken away from both of them.

The red and black Chimera let his face fall into a sad expression. He picked up his wood pack and headed back to the cabin, despite it not being entirely full. While normally, he'd hurry back as soon as possible, too many thoughts bombarded him at once. Including what the future held for them. Indeed, they had all been together for five years now but it hadn't been easy. Between James' occasional nightmares and fits, Ni`kyt's tempers and long disappearances, and Tensin' inability to truly tend to everything James needed, there have been many low points. Not once had any of them thought of the future as well, aside from what would happen the next week or so.

As he entered back into familiar territory, Tensin's mind wandered to a time he almost ran away from it all. It was just before Ni`kyt's arrival to celebrate James' tenth birthday. The two males had gotten into a fight, with James wanting to be with a human family again and to be with others. Tensin had argued poorly, he'll admit, but he didn't know how to explain to a child why that could happen. Instead, after James had ran to his room crying, Tensin packed a small bag of his personal belongings and took off from the house. He had been gone for three days during that time and took a very dark route. The Chimera had done many things during that time gone before finally returning back to the cabin. Sure enough, Ni`kyt had arrived and helped take of James in Tensin's absence. Neither of them talked about what happened.

During that short absence, Tensin had thought about what the future may hold, just as he did now, as he returned back to the cabin. James was, fortunately, still in the garden collecting herbs and throwing them into a bowl. He picked a sprig from each plant he thought Tensin may like, taking his time smelling and feeling the plant in order to determine it's worth. Just like how Tensin taught him. The Chimera came up behind James and scooped him up, the human boy giving out a cry of excitement as he was twirled around in the air.

-.-

Even if Ni`kyt preferred to eat her meat raw, she found herself looking forward to the meal Tensin was cooking. The red and black Chimera was damn good at what he did, despite how much she felt it was a sin to cook perfectly good raw meat. The Yaut`ja woman tore her thoughts away from what the elk would taste like and looked at the small human boy that stood not far from her. Today, she would finally start teaching James how to fight like a warrior. Sure, he was small in comparison to herself and while he has lived in these woods for some time now, he just wasn't built in terms of strength. But that would not deter Ni`kyt.

One day, Ni`kyt would have to reveal to her clan the existence of both James and Tensin. James might be taken into the clan, if her elders saw potential in the boy. But with his blindness, no matter who was at fault, it was a very low chance. If she trained him, proving he was a capable fighter even with the obvious handicap, there may yet be hope. As for Tensin, there was no hope for him. Chimeras, no matter what other DNA they may have in them, were still serpents. The Yaut`ja were required to kill them, if not for sport then for containment purposes.

Ni`kyt pushed those thoughts of her mind. Instead, she knelt down in front of James, making a trilling noise for his attention. James stood up straight before her, like a soldier before his commanding officer. Good, he was off to a good start. Now where to start him with training? The female warrior knew she could not just through him into the thick of battle, nor could she be too soft of him. How did the males back at the clan do this regularly with the Youngbloods...?

Ni`kyt tapped James' shoulders a few times before positioning him into a basic fighting stance. As confused as he looked, the human child didn't fight back. Once she was done, she tested how well he held by tapping any area that seemed weak. As expected, James faltered quickly at the first light smack she gave him on his knee. She growled softly. She had him enter the same position before tapping any weak points. Once again, he faltered. Ni`kyt doubted James had any idea of what she was trying to do. This would be so much easier if only he could see her 'talk' instead of relying on Tensin to always translate more complex terms and phrases.

"Hitting him isn't going to build confidence!"

As the human saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Ni`kyt looked over her shoulder to the open window that lead directly into the kitchen. Sure enough, Tensin was leaning against the frame with a smug look on his face. James smiled widely and waved toward the direction of the Chimera's voice. The female Yaut`ja gave a huff and placed her hands on her hips before motioning to him.

 _Translate?_

"You need to start talking more English too, you know."

 _Want to teach him to fight_.

"Whoa, wait, what? Why?" Tensin had straightened up and stared at her incredulously.

 _Will explain later. Just translate_.

"Alright, fine," the red and black Chimera mumbled before speaking to James. "She's trying to teach you basic combat."

"Whoa, wait, why?"

The answer was much too similar to Tensin's own statement, whether it was accidental or not. Ni`kyt was not sure how to feel about how the Chimera had that much influence. She signed her explanation to Tensin.

"She says it'll be good for you. That it builds character and helps you become just as big as strong as- well, I can't say as big as Nee because she's an oversized giant."

The first part, that was true. Everything else afterward was just nonsense Tensin was telling the child in order to make the situation more comfortable for James. Ni`kyt hated the pampering, her warrior side feeling that would only make the human child soft. However, her maternal side reminded her that this was not a Yaut`ja child. Humans did not grow up hearing the ways of the hunt, of the glory of battle. Instead, from what she understood, they were pampered, told to pursue what they could in a world that felt harsher than her own at times.

It took some time but eventually James started to get the hang of things. Ni`kyt took her time in teaching the human boy little things, postures and stances that attributed to what she'd teach him in the future. Tensin had long since gone back to cooking. She knew he would check on the two of them from time to time, as she would do the same of him, from time to time. James ran through each of the motions at a time before he began to speed up. His posture grew sloppy and his stance wasn't as strong but Ni`kyt was impressed that he still remembered each of the forms as well as one could.

She made James repeat the motions several times, consistently correcting him each time he would falter, striking him with either a hand or foot. Lightly, of course. Ni`kyt didn't want to be too hard during the first of many lessons. She was proud that her little human son was as successful as he was, given his newness to this, as well as his obvious handicap. The female Yaut`ja was already looking forward to future training sessions.

-.-

As per usual, Tensin never failed to amaze everyone with his excellent cooking skills. Ni`jyt helped him set the elk onto a roast over the bonfire the two boys had gathered together. The red and black Chimera had already skinned it and removed it of any unnecessary meats and parts, cycling those for later; he put the head elsewhere for Ni`kyt to deal with. Over the spit, Tensin seasoned it and cooked it slowly, while placing other parts of the meal in small pots and jars near or in the fire. No matter how long she knew Tensin, it was still unnerving to see a serpent approach fire without fear.

Ni`kyt's mandibles picked the meat from the leg bone she had, guiding the food into her mouth. James greedily dug into his vegetables before moving on to the main course, apparently hungry from the work out the Yaut`ja had given him earlier. Tensin was the only one not eating. He was instead sitting atop the cabin, ears listening intently for any disturbance from the normal sounds of daybreak. He swore he saw humans near the cabin when he was cooking…

"Tensin!" James called from near the bonfire. "C'mon! Eat the food."

"Y-yeah, I'm coming."

The red and black Chimera hopped down and skittered over to the food. His uneasiness was not missed by Ni`kyt. She had all but put down her food and looked at Tensin directly, a demanding look in her expression that would've compelled any other male to speak. Unfortunately for her, Tensin rarely gave a damn. The Chimera had shoved some meat into his mouth when he noticed the female's glare, shrugging and acting innocent before her. She gave a growl."

"What'd he do this time?" James asked in a bored voice.

"Nofhing!" Tensin whined, his mouth still full of meat.

 _And to think your other half is intelligent_ , Ni`kyt signed. _Talk. Something wrong_.

Tensin grumbled, swallowed, then said, "I saw humans earlier."

Ni`kyt couldn't stop the almost aggressive snarl that erupted from her throat. If not for the sudden outburst, James might've been ecstatic. As much as he loved his alien family, he missed other humans. This could be a chance to see them again. But obviously, between the reactions of Ni`kyt and Tensin, that would never happen. Sure enough, Ni`kyt was already chattering away, her tone becoming more and more aggressive. James decided to speak up.

"Well what's wrong with people saying hi?"

"Uh, James," Tensin chuckled nervously. "You know how you guys treat aliens, right?"

"With peace?"

Ni`kyt slid a finger underneath James' chin, along his throat. The message was clear enough as the boy's face went from confused to panicked. Tensin facepalmed at this. There went the desire to not freak James out.

"They're gonna kill you?!"

"No! No, no, nuh-uh!" Tensin crawled over to James in a flash, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Most people just scream at you. Then they call the people that kill us."

 _And you say I'm bad_.

"Why would people do that? You guys are nice," James tried to argue.

Ni`kyt answered by tapping just above the human's eyes. The message was clear enough. James lowered his head as his lower lip quivered. Tensin pulled him in for a hug. The Chimera was more disappointed in how their little celebratory feast turned out than how James was on the verge of tears.

"If it's any consolation," Tensin began. "Any race confronted with something that looks different will respond in fear or violence. Humans are no different. Neither is Nee's race. Besides, they don't know you like we do. All they see is some giant woman with dreads and a crab face, and a walking red newt with a speared tail and mismatching eyes. And people judge a lot by looks. You don't."

"That's because I'm blind."

"Trust me, you see more than those who have eyes."

Ni`kyt rumbled in agreement, placing a hand on James' head, ruffling his hair. The three sat there in silence, listening to the dying fire just under the roasted elk. The sun had since set behind the trees and it was starting to get dark. The three would've remained in silence before James spoke up again.

"So if people are close to the cabin, isn't that bad?"

"Very."

"Why don't you guys scare them away?"

Both aliens looked at each other, wondering why they didn't think of that.

* * *

 **A/n: So so very, very sorry I haven't updated in a long time. Unfortunately, original stories come first and I had lost my motivation for both my AVP stories. Not only that, but the usual excuse of life. BUT NO MORE!  
I'm already working on the next chapter, between typing out my book and job-searching. I have no guarantee of when the next chapter is. Thanks for sticking around!**

 **Pred out~**


	4. It Began at Dawn

**A/n: Rating warning. I tried to be a little light with some things but we all know when a predator and an alien try to scare people, there's going to be some horror : D**

* * *

 **It Began at Dawn**

It was a camping trip with at least seven people. Teens just on the cusp of their adult years looking for a good time in the woods. They already had their tents pitched and a fire starting; one of the males was putting a wire tray stand over a section of the fire in order to cook their dinner meal. Four of the seven seemed to be couples with how close they were to each other, among other things Ni`kyt took notice of.

They were completely unaware of their surroundings. Fools. At least they were smart enough to keep close to the fire's light- Nope. One of the couples just walked off. Ni`kyt sighed beneath her mask and turned away from the inevitable actions those two would participate in. She returned her attention to the main camp. Humans and their impeccable timing. Some days it was convenient; others were just a nuisance. At least the dark would keep them in one place.

There wasn't much else she could do for recon at this point. These humans weren't warriors nor soldiers. They were mere children and only a few of them were trained for the wilderness. Ni`kyt turned around and pushed off from her tree perch. In an instant, she was gliding through the air. Then, falling. Her weight hit the ground with a muffled thud just as the huntress took off into a mad dash. She and Tensin had plans to make. It was already an agreed necessity to take advantage of the darkness. The less the humans saw, the less they'd report and the more people would think they were spooked.

-.-

Tensin, the little house rat he was, had everything packed up before Ni`kyt had returned. Upon the huntress' return, they went to work on how to scare the teens away. James volunteered to help but his protective family was less than keen. That was until the human boy said that he could add to the horror effect. Ni`kyt gave Tensin a nasty glare when he told them his little idea. Once upon a time, the red and black Chimera went through a phase of reading horror books and James wanted to hear them. Tensin stopped when Ni`kyt found out.

It got late in the night. The two aliens agreed the best time would be at dawn, where there was just enough light for the campers to find their way home but enough darkness for the two to hide. James was put to sleep but Tensin promised to wake him up when they were going to pull of their scare. They had their plan. All that was needed were a few props and to execute it.

Tensin stared at the jar in his hands. It was as big as a sauce container but there was barely an inch of green liquid inside. Once upon a time, there was more. But because many of the ingredients were found and cultivated off world, the Chimera had never been able to make more. Instead, he was forced to ration how much he consumed. It was supposed to last him until they came back…

A trill caught his attention. Tensin looked up to see Ni`kyt staring at him. She wasn't wearing anything else except for her clothes (which there wasn't much of to begin with). He put the jar down, folded his hands in his lap, looked up and smiled. As much as the Chimera wanted to act like nothing was wrong, the huntress was perceptive.

 _What is it_? She signed. To emphasis, she pointed directly at the jar.

"N-Nooooooothing?" Tensin smiled sheepishly. Ni`kyt folded her arms and gave a low growl. "Oh alright, it's something my host and his colleagues made for me before... before they left. It's, I guess you can say, a medicine."

 _For what?_

Tensin didn't answer. Instead, he opened up the jar and took a swig. Immediately upon the liquid's impact, his body gave a shudder and he lurched forward. The eye with black sclera burned as he clutched his face. A few moments passed before the pain subsided. By then, Ni`kyt had dropped to a knee and looked up Tensin with genuine concern. The Chimera gave his entire body a shake. He then closed the jaw and gave Ni`kyt a smile.

"So, shall we get to scaring?"

-.-

Abigale sat bored by the campfire as everyone laughed and talked. She'd have gone to sleep by now but everyone was awake and they were too loud for her to even attempt sleep. So here she was, half awake at the peeking hours of dawn. The only reason everyone else was still even wide awake was because of the drinks they had. Dwain smuggled some over after stealing them from his dad. They offered Abigale some but she passed.

Then she heard rustling. She jolted up from it but relaxed soon after. The woods always gave her the spooks, especially this far out. Her uncle had gotten into a really bad accident in these woods as well, only adding to the fear. Something about running into wild animals during an excursion for work. Abigale couldn't remember the whole story; she wished she did.

There was more rustling. Her friends heard them as well, their voices falling short now. Everyone was looking around for the source of it. Maggie passed it off as an animal just walking around close to camp. There was plenty of squirrels around.

Then the kid came out, sobbing as he stumbled forward, arms wrapped around his stomach. Everyone was on their feet in an instance. Steve was the only one who took first aide and had stepped forward. Some of them were panicking while everyone else was wondering what to do. The kid fell to his knees just as Steve had approached him. Most of the teens had already started demanding from the kid what was wrong, who he was, where were his parents. Then something Steve saw made him reel back and scream. Abigale saw why.

There was blood coming from his eyes, which, in the low light, looked as though they had been gorged out. Abigale gave a shriek.

"Help me," the kid wheezed before he let his arms fall forward. What fell out had everyone scrambling; Mark threw up. The kid fell flat on the ground, not moving anymore.

"Oh my god, oh my freaking god!" Dwain cried in a hysteric voice. "He's dead. He's f-"

A loud snarl mixed with chittering noises echoed around the camp. Then came a low shriek, like a snake or something. Abigale looked around frantically for the sources but it was still too dark. She could hear them move, however. And then her eyes saw something long and black dart across a clearing just outside their camp. She gave a small cry of alarm. Everyone turned toward that direction and took a step away from it. Then they heard a loud snarl behind them. The seven teens ended up huddling together near the center of their camp. The fire was dying out a little now.

The noises those… creatures made would fade in and out around them. It had the teens terrified. Abigale smelled urine at some point from one of her friends. Not that she blamed them. If she had a full bladder, she might've done the same. Scratch that, she'd do that right now. One of the creatures stepped forward.

It was on all fours but it was huge! Taller than any of the teens. There were these weird spikes that come from the back and it's tail, it looked like there was something sharp and barbed at the end of it. It's eyes reflected an evil yellow from the firelight as it approached. And the red against it's black skin… Abigale couldn't help but think of it as blood.

Someone began to sob uncontrollably. Another had whimpered, praying to God for a miracle. The creature rose to it's back legs, shoulder lurched forward in a menacing manner. It then surged itself forward, letting out an earsplitting scream. It was like hearing the fires of hell.

The teens screamed. They whipped around to run away from the creature when they saw the giant. This one had long dreads pouring out from it's head, armed with two blades on a wrist and a spear in the other hand. It bore a emotionless mask over it's face, putting a pit in the stomach of each and every one of the teens. It too gave a lurch forward as it roared. The teens were flanked. Without thinking, they took off in different directions, screaming into the dark woods.

The two alien creatures watched them go, making no moves to follow in the slightest. They didn't need to. Their work was done.

"Okay James, you can get up now," Tensin said, trying his hardest to not laugh.

The human boy pushed himself off the ground, dusting away any leaves and dirt sticking to his shirt. Ni`kyt came over and hefted the boy onto her shoulder, happily trilling as she began walking off. Tensin trailed after, a wide smile plastered onto his face. They trusted the kids to not get too lost in the woods. After all, one of them would find their way to a trail and the rangers would help locate the others. No one was going to believe them about aliens, however. Not when they realized the kids have been drinking.

If only they knew…

-.-

"I may have gone overboard with the blood," Tensin muttered as he cleaned James in the outside shower. "It is everywhere."

"At least Nee wasn't too upset about killing those chipmunks," James added. "She really likes to eat them."

The red and black Chimera tilted James' face upwards, giving him a good view of the blood they painted onto his eyes. Because they had virtually no make-up or props to use, they indeed used real blood. It just wasn't human. Tensin took to getting James all dressed up while Ni`kyt did some last minute scouting, to ensure the humans hadn't left.

Unbeknownst to either human or Yaut`ja, the entire scare was an internal struggle for Tensin. His 'medicine' had lost some of it's potency in the years, resulting in weaker effects. The Chimera had to cut himself in order to keep his mind straight; he made sure to hide them and bandaged them before he bathed James. And if Ni`kyt asked, he had an explanation at the ready.

"Well maybe during her next visit," Tensin began. "We can try to gather a bunch of them for her."

"Really?" The boy's face lit up.

"Sure! I don't see why not. She adores anything you give her."

That was no little lie either.

Tensin got most of the blood off but his clothes were ruined from their "make-up effects"; he tossed them into the fire with the rest of the burning carcasses of chipmunks. The Chimera then let Ni`kyt take the human boy, likely to continue the training she had started yesterday. Tensin couldn't be more grateful. He needed to get away from the both of them for a time anyways.

-.-

Only three of the teens had gotten lost in the woods. The Rangers were able to find them but only after a day of searching. They also investigated the camp, looking for clues to identify the creatures. Their search warranted other evidence however. Upon finding the alcohol and a bag of marijuana belonging to one of the girls, the stories about those creatures was dismissed as the result of irresponsible teens spooked off by a curious animal. After all, there was no evidence of anything out of the ordinary.

Abigale knew what she saw. She wasn't influenced by drugs or alcohol. Those things were real! They killed a child for Christ's sake. So when her parents had picked her up from the sheriff's office, lecturing her about her reckless behavior and other things, Abigale demanded to talk to her uncle; the very one who had gotten into an accident in those woods.

They complied, especially when they realized themselves the same thing as their daughter. So when the uncle came and Abigale told them her story, they were surprised to hear how lucky the teens were. After all, Abigale's uncle worked for the government.

And he had a history with the dreadlock giant they encountered.

* * *

 **A/n: And there you have it folks! Chapter four in all it's glory. I'd have finished sooner but I had to restart the entire chapter after my computer died on me, taking with it almost everything I was working on, including a rewrite for my other AVP story. Fortunately, some of my documents and things were saved onto a flashdrive I had carried on me constantly (sadly for you guys, a majority of those things were original works, not fan art stuff). Hopefully, when I get a new computer, I can recover the docs from my old hard drive through some techno magic and get back to working on those.  
See y'all in the next chapter!**


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